Gaiter.



W. H. WEASBR.

, GAITER. AIPLIOATION FILED MAB-.26, 1912.

1v 51() Patented May13,1913.

WITNESSES.- INVLN TOR.

William H. Weaser;

A TTORNE Y.

WILLIAM H. WEASER, 0F PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13., .1913.

Application filed March 26, 1912. Serial No. 688,461.

To all til/07m it may concern.

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM H. VIIASER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts.have invented certain he and useful Improvements in Gaiters, of which the "following is a specification.

My present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to gaiters worn as a shield and protective covering about the lower portion of the leg and the ankle. Articles of this character have been heretofore constructed, when employed in conjunction with low shoes, to overlap the top edges of the shoe, the lower margins of the gaitcr being normally extended down over the outer surface of the shoe. This arrangement offers an obstacle tornbbers or galoshes worn atthe same time over the shoe, the edges ot' the gaiter ordinarily interfering with the ready adjustment of the robbers. whose edges overlap those of the gaiter and are thereby unduly stretched and torn. Gaiters thus constructed and arranged may be termed, in contradistinction to my pres ent construction,outside-gaiters, and are also objectionable for deficiency in neatness and couf )rmability to variations in the sizes of ankles.

The foregoing objections are met in my present device, wherein I provide an insidega-iter, which is in the nature of a supplementary or remo'able shoe-upper and extends down inside the shoe, closely conform ing to the contour of the foot and ankle and giving the appearance of a high shoe.

My device is especially advantageous when worn in coniunction with low shoes in the winter season. affording the necessary protective covering for warmth and the exclusion of dust while avoiding the discomforts of high shoes by its flexibility and ready admission of air. I further provide, in connection with my device, novel retaining means whereby it is held in normal position and prevented from working up on the leg or around the ankle.

Having referred to the general character and purposes of my invention, I will proceed to describe a specific useful form of embodiment. thereof, together with certain modifications of the same, wherein In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the foot and ankle ha ving my device operatively applied thereon, in conjunction with a low shoe of the lace type: Fig. 2, a developed outside view of my device: Fig. 3, a view similar fo Fig. 1- and showing a modification ofmy device as applied to a low button shoe; and Fig. 4-, a detail view showing the means for removably attachim my device to the button shoe on the inner side of the foot. y

The body-portion of my device is shown as comprising a flexible strip 1 of any suitable material. such as cloth and woven fabric, or leather, somewhat curved in outline and disposed around the lower portion of the leg, including [n'e'fcrably the ankle, and having its ends 52, 3, secured together in front (see Fig. 1) by any suitable means, such as the ball and socket fasteners -l, l, which are preferably arranged so as to be invisible from without. The ends 9, 3, thus secured. are constructed to overlap, thereby preventing the admission of dusta'nd other foreign substances.

\Vhen my device is used in conjunctimi with lace shoes 15, I provide in the lower corners at opposite ends of the ln:d wpor tion 1 sepa rate eyes 5, 5. which are arranged to be coincident with the top eyes (S of the shoe on corresponding sides of the foot.

whereby the lace 7 may be passed through the eyes 5, 5, thus securing the device in a fixed position over the instep and preventing it from working around the ankle.

The principal novel feature of my invention consists in the extension of the lower margins of the strip 1 well down inside the shoe. instead of overlapping the top edges of the shoe. This construction enables the wearer to secure a close fitting; device which does not interfere with the pulling on and taking off of rubbers orv overshoes and conforms to the outlines of the parts engaged. giving the appearance and possessing the :ulvantages of a high shoe. with none of the disadvantages of the latter in sweating and binding in summer and allording sullicient warmth with greater flexibility and comfort in winter. As further means for retaining the device in its normal position and to prevent the lower margins of the body-portion from working up above the top of the shoe. I have shown a stirrup or sole-strap 8. preferably of soft woven fabric. arranged transversely under the foot and having its ends extended upward on each side of the foot and connected to lllt' lower margins of the lunlvportion l. which shown as cut somewhat lowcrul these points.

\ To insure eiese fitting article to conform to variations in size s nci contour of ankles of substantially the same circumferential fiimensions, 1 preferably insert centrally m the body-portion l s yoke 9 of cloth covere-(i rubber or ether resilient materialunit ing the ends 2, 3.

In case my device is adapted to lowhutton shoes, 1 proyiiie, as a suitable mesnsof ettschment to prevent displacement of the geitei- 1e and es a substitute for the eyes 5, 5, employed in the form for laced shoes,

' s tab it), which is suitably secured to the body of the gsiter adjacent thetnp but-ton 11 of the shoe and provided at its free end with :1 suitable opening to receive seici button, said fiee end being pfeferahiy inter-' posed under the shoe iemwhiie on the posite or inner side of the gsiter i preferably provide a her-hook 12, edepted-to intercept an eiongated eye 13 to he provided in the shoe, and disposed tisnsverseiy thereof after insertion. I

it will he understood that I do not limit myself to the particular forms of attaching means herein shown for, either the lace on button types of shoe, the object thereof being to prevent thexieyiee from orking J out of its normal position I claim: o

1. A separate geitei" to-he Worn in conjunction with iow shoes consiprisine en mikie nortion,,,s. sole-strep attached t ere to and srnsngei to be worn under thefioot I menses Within the shoe, means attached to the front of said snide-portion ads-pted to coiiperste with means on the shoe to fasten said. enisie-portionto the inner sioie of the shoe,

"and means to close said ankle-portion.

2. separate gait/eito be women congunction with low shoes, oompnsmg e closable nzilsie-pol tion provided with depending margins constructed to extend within the top of the shoe, eyes on the front of said depending'msrgins adapted to cooperate with the shoe lace for attaching said margins to the inner side of the shoe, and means for closing said ankle-portions shovethe top of the shoe. 7

3. A separate gsitex' to he'Wom-in conjunction withlow shoes comprising solos able ankle-portion providedwith dependin side margins aii enged to be worn inside 0 a shoe, s sole-strep attached to said dependsing margins srmngedto hewom under the foot and Within the shoe, inesns .on the front 

